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THE MOST ENDURING icons are built on solid foundations. This is certainly true of the luxury wristwatch brand Urban Jürgensen, which still carries the name and ethos of its original family dynasty of Danish master watchmakers and innovators. The past is always present in Urban Jürgensen’s ultra-fi ne handcrafted contemporary collections, and the brand remains true to three core pillars. Firstly, there is its unique legacy. “We have had

an uninterrupted existence since 1773,” says CEO Søren Petersen, “And our company’s founder is counted as one of the original masters of the art of precision horology.” Copenhagen-born Urban Jürgensen continued

the groundbreaking watchmaking of his father Jürgen Jürgensen, and his own award-winning work was succeeded by his sons Louis Urban and Jules, who started production, also in Switzerland, in 1834. The 21st-century incarnation of the brand retains its Danish ownership, with expert production based in Biel – upholding the second pillar, of exceptional craftsmanship. “Our tag line is ‘honouring timeless traditions’,”

says Søren. “We want to re-establish the art of taking time to create very detailed work. Our watches are all handmade, and directed at collectors and connoisseurs. It is niche production; we’ll never work with high volumes – but we also believe that a beautiful, handcrafted mechanical watch is something that anyone can appreciate.” Key to this are the exclusive movements

developed by Urban Jürgensen’s watchmakers, including a patented “detent escapement”, based on the exceptional precision of classic naval chronometers. The resulting watches have won numerous awards over the centuries – and they

continue to be recognised for the very highest achievements in watchmaking. These include selection for the 2016 edition of the prestigious Grand Prix D’Horlogerie De Geneve, Men’s Category, an award the company won previously in 2014. Another inimitably fi ne detail is the “grenage

timepieces stand out because of their exceptionally subdued elegant quality. “Our watches are not designed to be fl ashy or outrageous,” says Søren. “They are stylishly subtle and classic. You can wear them with your jeans or with your tuxedo.” It is a quality that unites watch connoisseurs of all ages. “Younger generations are looking for something with true value – and something they can tell an authentic story with,” he adds. There are personal stories and revolutionary visions at the heart of this brand – as well as an international scope that echoes the original Urban Jürgensen’s experience. The young Urban honed his skills in world cities including Paris and London, and his successors took the company’s reputation much further afi eld. “Back in the day, if you were a craftsman, you were required to become a journeyman,” says Søren. “You’d travel around the world to learn from masters and improve your craft.” In the 21st century, Urban Jürgensen watches

represent rich traditions and hallmark classic designs – a creative collaboration between Denmark and Switzerland – that are coveted all over the world. — www.urbanjurgensen.com